Friday, January 30, 2015

COLISEUM CITY | The Alameda County Board of Supervisors authorized its staff Tuesday to enter negotiations to extend an exclusive negotiating agreement (ENA) with the city of Oakland and the current Coliseum City developer. However, Oakland Raiders officials are not quite on board with the extension, said Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty.

The proposed 90-day extension of the ENA with New City Development, lead by Southern California businessman Floyd Kephart, has the backing of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and the city council, which approved the plan last week.The extension, though, allows the Oakland Raiders and Athletics to also entertain competing proposals.

In closed session, Tuesday morning, the Alameda County supervisors directed staff to enter into negotiations over the ENA extension, which Haggerty described as unfinished and “still being worked through.”

Before adjourning for the closed session meeting, Hagggerty had indicated doubt his colleagues would make any reportable decisions Tuesday, which turned out to be an incorrect assessment.

However, Haggerty made it clear Raiders ownership does not favor an extension of the ENA. Over a lengthy lunch recently with Raiders owner Mark Davis, Haggerty said, the team lobbied for the county to vote against the extension with New City. Progress is being made, though, added Haggerty.

“We’re getting to a point where we understand each other,” said Haggerty of Raiders ownership. “It’s important because the county is not trying to be obstinate here. We’re just trying to respect our sports teams.”